The Arizona sentinel., 1887-11-26
THE FRENCH SOLDIER.
Max O'Rel's Remarks on the Republics
 Present Food for Powder.

hAa1 U helIs hemarkB on the hepuDl1c'9
 Present Food for Powder.
 Jacques Bonhomme does not love his army. He loves it in the singular be- cause his boy belongs to it (every Frenchman has to serve in the army). In the plural, however. it represents authority, and he is well aware that the army is ready for use as police force, in case he should ever be tempt- ed to make his voice heard too loudly in demanding reform. This is why French soldiers, in their different gar rison towns, live a life apart. They do not mix with the people, and have to put up with coventry"
 The French army is viewed through many spcctacles. The Conservatives see in it the preservers of order; the Radicals Il danger to the liberties of the nation; the League of Patriots call it the hope of France. To the French Mary Jane it is the repOs- itory of tender sentiments; to the tradesmen of the garrison town a source of income. Ball-giving ladies like it because it provides them with dancers who are as ornamental as useful, though the officers uniform is no longer the gorgeous dress it was in my time, when Lieutenant's full uni form cost from half to whole years pay. French girls have a deep con- viction that no man can make love like young Lieutenant but papa was always apt to frown on him, knowing that this Romeo had generally more gold on his shoulders than in his waistcoat pocket. anI that, according to the army regulations, no officer might marry a lady with less than thirty thousand francs dot.
 Pitou serves his country for the mod est sum of penny a day. He re- ceives half-penny cash. and the oth- CT is placed to his credit until his term of service is over. when he is presented with sum representing as many half-pennies plus interest as he has spent days in the army. Of course his pay is not often his only source of revenue. Many soldiers work at some trade inside the barrack, and those who come from the middle classes are well supplied with pocket money from home-even the peasants son is sure 10 receive little help every month. He r.ses at five in the morning and, as there is no food served before eight, he goes straight to the canteen and has his petit Uerre Ca tablespoonful of brandy.) He is drilled eight hours a day. At eight a. m. and four p. m. he has his Qdmelle, contain ing a piece of beef, cooked and served in a good. thick soup of vegeta- bles. This savory and nourishing re- past is eaten with bread, and forms his only food in time of peace.
 In war tlme the French soldier is ad- mirable. The good humor with which he goes through the greatest hardship s is simply wonderful. His philosophic- al ways of taking the inevitable and putting a good face on personal mis- fortune is prOverbial. At the battle of Worth one of my men had his right hand completely shot away by shell. Seeing the poor fellow looking at his maimed arm as he was being carried away, I went to him and gave him word of sympathy.
 Aye. mon Lieutenant, he cried, '.I shall have to learn to make cigar cites with one hand"
 The whole character of the French soldier is there. .-LiUerpoo Courier.